Apparatus for aligning button holes in french-type shirt sleeve cuffs



Nov. 10, 1959 R. c. JOLISSAINT 2,912,147

APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING BUTTON HOLES m FRENCH-TYPE SHIRT SLEEVE CUFFS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1958 INVENTOR. "Emnmzo QAoussr-uwr ATTO2NE 5 1959 R. c. JOLISSAINT 2,912,147

APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING BUTTON HOLES IN FRENCH-TYPE SHIRT SLEEVE CUFFS Filed April 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g A d' N H :2! r F N ii i o I A N Sig fi N i Q o fir .1 I I n\ l [777 y &

INVENTOR.

AT TOZH EYS I L 3i '12 mango C. AoussmNT' United States, Patent APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING BUTTON HOLES IN The present invention relates generally to laundry equipment and in particular to an apparatus for aligning the button holes in French-type shirt sleeve cufis.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which lends itself for use in the finishing department of a laundry for aligning and maintaining in alignment the pairs of button holes in the French cuff of a shirt sleeve while a soft crease is formed in the cuff and enabling an operator to readily insert a temporary clip or stay in the aligned button holes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for aligning the button holes in the Frenchtype shirt sleeve cuff which is simple in structure, one sturdy in construction having relatively few parts, one which is readily portable and one which is economically feasible.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric fragmentary view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, showing the apparatus in a condition of use separating the button holes in the cult of a shirt sleeve;

Figure 3 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the apparatus according to the present invention comprises a pedestal having a base 12 and a hollow column 14 rising from the central portion of the base 12. A platform 16 is carried upon the upper end of the hollow column 14 by means of a pair of vertically extending spaced plates 18 and 20 each having an inwardly turned flange on its upper end supporting the platform 16, as at 22, with reference to the plate 18 in Figure 5.

A collar 24 is circumposed about the upper end portion of the column 14 and is bolted thereto. The collar 24 is welded to the depending portions of the plates 18 and 20, as shown most clearly in Figure 3.

A pair of blunt pins or spreader elements 26 and 28 are positioned in linear alignment with the portions adjacent the top thereof protruding upwardly from the platform 16. Each spreader element 26 and 28 is conformably shaped to be freely inserted into a button hole in a French-type cuff of the shirt sleeve to spread away the opposed portions of the button hole without tearing of the ends of the button hole or disfigurement of the adiacent portion of the cuff. The spreader element 26 has its lower end fixedly supported in the platform 16 and the spreader element 28 is connected to the platform 16 for limited movement toward and away from the spreader element 26. The means connecting the spreader element 2,912,147 Patented Nov. 10, 1959 ice 28 for movement toward and away from the spreader element 26 includes a slot 30 provided in the platform 16 and in alignment with the spreader element 26. The lower end of the spreader element 28 is mounted in a slide piece 32 positioned below the slot 30 and in registry therewith. The slide piece 32 has one end portion projecting beyond the edge of the platform 16 connected by a bolt 34 toone end of a lever 36 and also by the bolt 34 to. one end of an actuating bar 38 which is positioned longitudinally of and below the slide piece 32. An arm 40 projects outwardly of one edge of the table or platform 16 and pivotally supports the midportion of the lever 36 for swinging movement about a pivot pin 42. as

a vertical axis. The portion of the actuating bar 38 remote from the bolt 34 is provided with a closed slot 44 (Figure 4) in which is received the long leg of an L- shaped lever 46 which is pivotally connected at the intersection of its long and short legs to a bar or shaft 48 supported by its ends in the upper end of the column 14.

A rod 50 is positioned within the column 14 and has its upper end pivotally connected to the free end of the short leg of the lever 46. The lower end of the rod 50 is pivotally connected to one end of a lever 52 which projects through a slot 54 provided in the column 14 and has a foot pedal 56 on the portion thereof which is exteriorly of the column 14.

Spring means is provided operatively connected to the spreader element 28 for biasing the spreader element 28 away from the spreader element 26. This means consists in a coil spring 58 having one end secured to the underside of the slide piece 32 on the end of the latter remote from the bolt 34 and having the other end fixed to a hook 60 depending from the bight of an inverted channel member 62 which has its legs bolted to the plates 18 and 20. The bight of the channel member 62 is spaced from the undersurface of the platform 16 to form a slideway for the slide piece 32, as shown most clearly in Figure 5.

In use, the operator of the machine presses downwardly on the pedal 56 or leans upon the projecting free end portion of the lever 38 to shift the spreader element 28 toward the spreader element 26 in the slot 30. A Frenchtype cuff 64 on the end of a shirt sleeve 66 is then positioned on top of the platform 16 with the spreader elements 26 and 28 projecting upwardly through the button holes 68 and 70, respectively. The operator then folds the cult 64 upon itself so that the spreader element 26 is received through the adjoining button hole 72 and the spreader element 28 is received through the adjoining button hole 74. A soft crease is then placed in the cuff 64 along a longitudinal line such as is shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and represented by the reference numeral 76. The operator may then lift the cuff 64 in its folded condition off of the platform 16 and a suitable clip or stay inserted in either or both of the paired and aligned button holes for holding the same in a neat condition until removed when the shirt is to be worn, the clip or stay not being shown as not being a part of the present invention. The operator then may release the foot pedal 56 or the free end portion of the lever 36 permitting the spreader element 26 to travel the length of the slot 30 in response to the action of the spring 58. While the spreader element 28 has been described as being actuated by either the pedal 56 or lever 38, other means, such as finger pressure applied to the spreader element 28, may be employed to align the elements 26 and 28 with the respective button holes in the cuff 64,

. if desired.

What is claimed is:

A folding and buttonhole aligning device for Frenchstyle shirt cufi's comprising a hollow pedestal having an upper end, a platform mounted on said upper end and disposed in a horizontal plane and having a flat upper surface on which a shirt cuff is laid in an open position, and having opposing ends and an edge portion extending between the ends and which faces an operator, a pin fixed to. the platform and extending above the uppersurface, said platform. having a slotdisposed parallel with said edge. portion and. in spaced alignment with the, fixed pin, a movable pin slidably mountedinthe slot for bodily movement, toward and. away from the fixed pin, a rectilinearly moving slide member. underlying the platform and movable parallel with. said edge portion,. a support fixed on one end of the platform, a. lever member pivoted on the support and pivotally attached to and supporting the slide member at one. end, said movable pin; being securedlto the slidetmember, guide. means mounted on the underside of, the platform and engaging thev slide, member, spring means connected. between the guide means and the slide member for urging the movable pin away from the fixed pin, a bell crank pivoted' below the slide member for movement about a horizontal axis, means engaging one arm of the crank with the slide member so that pivotal movement of the crank is translated into a rectilinear sliding movement of the slide member, a foot pedal pivotally mounted in, the pedestal adjacent the lower end thereof and a connecting rod connecting the bell crank to the foot lever.

References Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES, PATENTS 

